Improvement in machines for soldering square cans



R. GORNALLf Machine for Soldering Square Cans.

No. 204,315. Patented May 28,1878.

.FETEM. PHOTO-UTHQGRAPMER, WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RIoHARD GORNALL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AssIoNoR TO THOMAS TAUSLEY, JR,or SAME PLAoE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR SOLDERING SQUARE CANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,315., dated May 28,1878; application filed November 22, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RIoHARD GoRNALL, of Baltimore, in the county ofBaltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and ImprovedMachine for Sdldering Square Cans; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full and exact description of the same, reference being bad tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure l is a side elevation of the machine, partly in section, with thecan in position for soldering. Fig. 2 is a top-plan view. Fig. 3 is aside view of the standard and tumble-block, the latter being in positionfor entering a can; and Fig. 4 is a similar view with the tumbleblock inthe position which it occupies in the can during the soldering process.

Similar letters of reference indicatethe same parts in the severalfigures.

In the manufacture of what are known as square tin cans for containingoysters, &c., the edges of the cans at the ends are turned inward toform flanges, and the tops and bottoms are applied to the flanges fromthe inside of the cans. To apply the tops and bottoms in this manner, anupright standard is used having a flat plate, called a tumble-blockpivoted centrally to its upper end, which, when inserted in the can,presses the top upward against the inside of the flanges at the end ofthe can. The workman then holds the can in place upon the tumble-blockwith one hand, pressing the top firmly against the flanges, while hesolders the flanges to the top with the other hand. Thus the top of thecan is applied. To apply the bottom, the Workman places it in the canedgewise, and turns it diagonally across the can. The tumbleblock is nowswung down against its standard, and inserted in the hole made in thetop of the can for sealing, and then, by pressing the can down upon theblock, it swings upward at right angles to the standard, and pushes thebottom up against the flanges of the can, where it is held and soldered,the same as the top above described.

To Withdraw the can from the tumble-block and standard, the can istipped a little in the direction of the length of the tumble-block,

which has the effect of again swinging it down against the standard,when the can is easily lifted off, the tumble-block and standard passingthrough the hole in the top.

This method of affixing and soldering the tops and bottoms in place isvery inconvenient and laborious, besides requiring a great amount ofskilled labor, because the workman has to turn the can from side to sidewhile soldering each end, hold it down upon the tumble-block, and keepthe sides perfectly straight with one hand, while he uses hissoldering-iron with the other.

My invention is designed to avoid these difficulties and enable theworkman to perform his labor with slight efiort, and at the same timeproduce a can whose sides shall be perfectly parallel, so that the cansmay be packed without Waste room.

To this end the invention consists, first, in the combination ofclamping jaws with the tumble-block and standard, for the purpose ofholding the can in place while being soldered; secondly, in thecombination of the supports forthe clamping-jaws with the springstandardof the tumble-block; and, lastly, in the construction of various partswhich I will presently describe.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the standard, and B the tumble-block,pivoted centrally across its top, and made a little the heavier at oneend, so as to lie normally down against the side of the standard, asshown in Fig. 3.

O O are the uprights which carry the clamping-jaws, made in the form ofa yoke mounted centrally upon the standard, and rising upon oppositesides thereof, a bushing or thimble, D, being formed in the yoke toguide the movements of the standard.

E and E are the clamping-jaws, each composed of a vertical plate of therequisite size to fit nearly the whole side of the can to be soldered,for the purpose of steadying it and preventing its sides from Winding,so that after the cans are completed they shall be of uniform size, andcan be packed in cases for shipment without waste spaces between them.

In packing cans made in the usual way, the boxes in which they arepacked are made just large enough to receive a certain number snuglyfitted together to prevent injury. It, therefore, the sides of the cansare not true, or out of wind, the number designed for each case cannotbe packed, because they will aggregately exceed ,the area of the case.Some must consequently be left out, and the space left; thereby filledwith some packing materia The jaw E is provided upon itsback with aslotted boss, f, aflixed to the top of its standard by a set-screw,whereby the jaw may be adjusted to or from the standard and the jaw E isprovided upon its back with a cam-plate, f, which enters a vertical slotor groove in its standard, as shown in Fig. 1.

The lower end of the cam-plate f extends somewhat below the jaw, and isformed with a slot, 9', for the passage of a bolt, g, by which thecam-plate is pivoted to the standard. A spring, H, secured at its lowerend to this standard, passes through the slot, and fits with its upperend under the head at a screw or pin, h, also fastened to the camplate,as shown, for the purpose of retracting the jaw from the cans after theyhave been released by the cam-lever I.

The operation of soldering a can with this apparatus is as follows: Thefixed clampingjaw E having been adjusted to the required position, thecam-lever l is swung up and the can placed upon the tumble-block andstandard, as hereinbefore described, between the clampingjaws. Asuitable treadle should be connected to the standard in some way to drawit down through the yoke a certain distance, and there hold it until thecan is in position between the jaws. The cam-lever is then swung up,forcing the pivoted jaw E against the can and the can against the fixedjaw, thus clamping it in place laterally. The treadle is released, andthe spring J around the standard between the yoke and a shoulder, k,forces the tumble-block up against the can bottom or top, and holds itfirmly against the flanges of the can. The operator then applies thesolder, and, both hands being left free for the purpose, can completehis work at one operation.

\Vhen the can is placed between the jaws it rests down upon supports II, affixed to the lower edge of one of them, to support the can whilethe jaws are being brought against it.

The standard may be guided 1n its movements by a forked guide, m,secured to one side of it, so as to embrace and slide upon one of theuprights, as shown in Fig. 1.

The pivoted jaw fits rather loosely within its upright, and thus isenabled to turn lat-erally somewhat, which, in connection with itsvertical movement, permits it to conform to the side of the can, andpress it uniformly against the fixed jaw E, thereby truing the can andpreventing it from being out of wind.

In using my improved soldering apparatus, I propose to mount two or moreof them vertically upon a horizontal wheel at different points, so thatwhen the wheel is rotated it shallcarry each apparatus successively infront of the operator for soldering, while an unskilled laborer on theopposite side of the wheel is applying the unfinished cans and removingthose that are soldered. By this means I am enabled to save a largeamount of skilled labor, and thereby cheapen the cost of manufacturingthe cans.

A collar, It, surrounding the standard, and provided with a jointed arm,8, will serve as one means for connecting the apparatus to the wheel,such apparatus being supported by the collar, as shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Thecombination of clamping-jaws with a tumble'block and standard, for thepurpose of holding square sheet-metal cans while the bottoms and topsare being soldered in place, substantially as described.

2. A spring-standard carrying a tumble block, in combination with theclampingjaws, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

3. The uprights or supports of the clamping-jaws, in combination withthe standard carrying the tumbleblock, substantially as described.

4.The combination of the guide m with one of the uprights of theclamping-jaws, and the standard of the tumble-block, to steady thelatter within the can, substantially as described.

5. The stops l l, secured to and projecting laterally under one of theclamping-jaws, and acting independently of the tumble block standard, tosupport a can, substantially as described.

6. The clamping-jaw E, pivoted to its standard by means of the cam-blockf entering a slot of the upright, and the slotted extension 9 of saidblock, mounted upon the bolt g, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the cam-lever I, camblock f, the slotted upright,and the pivoted clampingjaw E, substantially as described, for thepurpose specified.

8. The collar R and jointed arm S, combined with the tumble-blockstandard, substantially as described.

RICHARD GORNALL.

Witnesses M. CHURCH, WM. A. BLACKSTOCK.

